I watch most sports, grew up a big sports fan. I root for my teams, but none compares to my kinship with the Toronto Maple Leafs. An irrational, illogical, unbeneficial love for a sports team simply because I followed the franchise my entire life.

So, if I come on and I am a bit terse, it's probably because the Leafs lost a game. The opposite it also true.

If there are any Bruins fans, let's keep it civil and let me know who you are. I didn't want to play the Bruins, preferring to see the Leafs face TB as the Bruins can play all brands of hockey and are a seasoned team, though I do believe (hope) the Leafs will win, and in fewer games than most think. They will use their speed, push the relatively slow Bruins D to the limit and apply that youth and hunger.

As a 30+ year Boston Bruins fan I can honestly state that I'd be surprised if they win a single game in this series. I'll be dumbstruck if they win more than one.

Toronto in 4 or 5 games, and the Bruins management needs to take a VERY HARD LOOK at how this team fell apart in the last two to three weeks of the season; and somebody needs to face unpleasant ramifications because of it.

As a 30+ year Boston Bruins fan I can honestly state that I'd be surprised if they win a single game in this series. I'll be dumbstruck if they win more than one.

Toronto in 4 or 5 games, and the Bruins management needs to take a VERY HARD LOOK at how this team fell apart in the last two to three weeks of the season; and somebody needs to face unpleasant ramifications because of it.

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Wow you are bucking the trend, Boston is the favourite. They did very well considering all their injuries, and you might have the top line in the league. Though, the Bergeron line was -20 for April even strength.

I am also more confident then I should be. This is because the Leafs beat the Bruins 3 times in the regular season, twice without Matthews. Also, Leafs have been reminded about the 2013 game 7 collapse when they blew a 4-1 lead with 10 minutes to go, some need redemption.

We have a very fast, talanted team upfront, and I believe this will cause Bruin D problems. We should be able to draw penalties and our PP was was of the top n the league. The difference might come down to Andersen in net for us.

It's anything but a sure thing, if the Bruins get to play a physical game and Leafs players back dow, we will lose this series. As I see it, that's the Bruins best chance, and that assumes they stay out of the box.

Yes I saw the game, my wife has a few Pens in her pool (I basically told her to stack Pens as they had the easiest first round match up), Lo and behold, Crosby gets a hat trick.

Malkin was insane though. His goal was nice on a 1 on 3 during the Flyer line change and he had an even better rush later in which he hit the post. If he put that one in it would be the goal of the year, incredible moves, he was like a firefly last night.

As a bonus, I told my wife to take Murray, and he gets the shutout for bonus points

This is one of my favorite times of the year for sports: March Madness, Opening Day baseball, and, the NHL playoffs. There is nothing like playoff hockey, though. It was particularly delightful to watch the Pens routs the dreaded Flyers last night.

Wow you are bucking the trend, Boston is the favourite. They did very well considering all their injuries, and you might have the top line in the league. Though, the Bergeron line was -20 for April even strength.

I am also more confident then I should be. This is because the Leafs beat the Bruins 3 times in the regular season, twice without Matthews. Also, Leafs have been reminded about the 2013 game 7 collapse when they blew a 4-1 lead with 10 minutes to go, some need redemption.

We have a very fast, talanted team upfront, and I believe this will cause Bruin D problems. We should be able to draw penalties and our PP was was of the top n the league. The difference might come down to Andersen in net for us.

It's anything but a sure thing, if the Bruins get to play a physical game and Leafs players back dow, we will lose this series. As I see it, that's the Bruins best chance, and that assumes they stay out of the box.

Go Leads Go!

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You give the Bruins far too much credit. Their entire season was comprised of a 30 game stretch in the middle of the year where they were nigh on unbeatable.

More recently they've relied on pulling their heads out of their asses in the last 16-20 minutes of the game. They haven't played 60 consecutive minutes of quality hockey in a single night since mid-February, at best.

The Bruins are a team looking for an excuse to lose, rather than having the heart and guts to win. Add that to the 3 losses in 4 games against the Leafs this season, along with the constant unknown of who will or won't be available due to injuries, and I see little to no chance that the Bruins move on.... unless the Toronto team shows it wants to win even less than Boston; but I'm not banking on that.

Wow you are bucking the trend, Boston is the favourite. They did very well considering all their injuries, and you might have the top line in the league. Though, the Bergeron line was -20 for April even strength.

I am also more confident then I should be. This is because the Leafs beat the Bruins 3 times in the regular season, twice without Matthews. Also, Leafs have been reminded about the 2013 game 7 collapse when they blew a 4-1 lead with 10 minutes to go, some need redemption.

We have a very fast, talanted team upfront, and I believe this will cause Bruin D problems. We should be able to draw penalties and our PP was was of the top n the league. The difference might come down to Andersen in net for us.

It's anything but a sure thing, if the Bruins get to play a physical game and Leafs players back dow, we will lose this series. As I see it, that's the Bruins best chance, and that assumes they stay out of the box.

Go Leads Go!

Click to expand...

You give the Bruins far too much credit. Their entire season was comprised of a 30 game stretch in the middle of the year where they were nigh on unbeatable.

More recently they've relied on pulling their heads out of their asses in the last 16-20 minutes of the game. They haven't played 60 consecutive minutes of quality hockey in a single night since mid-February, at best.

The Bruins are a team looking for an excuse to lose, rather than having the heart and guts to win. Add that to the 3 losses in 4 games against the Leafs this season, along with the constant unknown of who will or won't be available due to injuries, and I see little to no chance that the Bruins move on.... unless the Toronto team shows it wants to win even less than Boston; but I'm not banking on that.

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Wow, we need you here in Toronto, many of the "experts" in the media think the Leafs have a heavy uphill climb. I've been confident of their chances, though not cocky, that the Leafs win this in 5. I've seen the Bruins dominate too often, and if they dictate a physical game, and it always comes down to which team executes their plan best.

I look at this Leafs team as the Blackhawks of maybe 07 or 09, I forget when their nucleus was in place before thier Cup runs. They are young, extremely talented, and even quicker as a group than those young teams. Most importantly, Matthews is an American kid leading this team, and he has a quiet competitiveness that all the other young players emulate.

It's good to see some objectivity from Boston, your message boards (understandably) are more biased, though most agree they would rather have faced the Bolts. I think the fact that no team wanted to play the Leafs is a telling sign. We roll four very good lines, and Andersen in net is far better than anymore knows. He is as cool as Brodeur back there.

There are years I know the Leafs won't win it, or even make the playoffs, I am cautiously optimistic this team can upset a team or two.

To TNharley below, I tend to agree that Nashville is the favourite to win it all. That would absolutely gut Habs fans for trading P.K. Weber has not been as impactful as I had expected for the Habs sake. However, what about these Golden Knights?!? I mean...talk about a massive story. Can you imagine how much the bookies would lose, when they were 200-1 to win it at season start, AND they are in bet happy Vegas? I wouldn't be surprised if some crazy sob dropped $100k on them to win it LOL!

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